Presenting...the New Jersey Devils last 26 shootout attempts

Quote from today's NHL.com game preview: "Shootout has eight letters, but it's become the equivalent of a four-letter word around the Devils, who are 0-8 in them this season and have lost an NHL-record 12 in a row after a 2-1 defeat Thursday to the Colorado Avalanche."

Maybe DeBoer should just ask the players themselves which ones want to take a turn in the shootout. I gotta imagine at least one or two of those lower-rung guys must be itching to have at it, LOL.

i actually think that this would be a good idea at this point, let someone take it who has the confidence to go score a damn goal.. better then forcing someone to take it that doesnt even want to do it

I don't know -- Elias and Jagr don't seem very enthusiastic about it. Hasn't Jagr almost said as much?

Although, maybe they would say they want to shoot anyway because as team leaders they have to assume responsibility and act confident.

I was speaking tongue in cheek, of course. But still, part of me wouldn't mind seeing guys like Carter or Janssen (when he plays) or Bernie have a crack at it.

i actually think that this would be a good idea at this point, let someone take it who has the confidence to go score a damn goal.. better then forcing someone to take it that doesnt even want to do it

Why is anyone surprised with the poor shootout outcomes? This inability to finish in regulation is the same, and even more worrisome to me. In regards to practicing, you either have the ability to score or you don't, these guys at that stages in their career aren't getting any better. Now, I do think the poor outcomes are now being enhanced by their f'd mental state, so I would send out at least Zids and maybe Greene to break the bad mojo. Hell, maybe even send Volch to loosen things up.

Why is anyone surprised with the poor shootout outcomes? This inability to finish in regulation is the same, and even more worrisome to me. In regards to practicing, you either have the ability to score or you don't, these guys at that stages in their career aren't getting any better. Now, I do think the poor outcomes are now being enhanced by their f'd mental state, so I would send out at least Zids and maybe Greene to break the bad mojo. Hell, maybe even send Volch to loosen things up.

The Sabres are 6-3 in the shootout. And they're on pace for the worst offensive season in NHL history. There's zero correlation between overall scoring ability and shootout success.

The Sabres are 6-3 in the shootout. And they're on pace for the worst offensive season in NHL history. There's zero correlation between overall scoring ability and shootout success.

....and vice versa. The SO is an individual skill. Some players (no matter their level of offensive talent) are better at it then others and have a better chance of scoring even on a team like Buffalo. Is it a reflection on the Devils that they do not have players with this skill? Perhaps, just based on the fact they have ONE goal. Right now they look totally disinterested in the SO and when CS gives up one right away it just checks them right out of interest totally.

FWIW...Kozlov was nearly automatic on the SO, but it never translated into offensive success. Wayne Gretzky was a terrible at breakaways and he's Gretzky.

....and vice versa. This is an individual skill and some players, no matter their level of offensive talent, have it. I think some people still do not understand that. Some players have it even on a team like Buffalo. Is it a reflection on the Devils that they do not have players with this skill? Perhaps, just based on the fact they have ONE goal but right now they look totally disinterested in the SO anyway and when CS gives up one right away it just checks them right out of interest.

FWIW...Kozlov was nearly automatic on the SO, but it never translated into offensive success. Wayne Gretzky was a terrible at breakaways and he's Gretzky.

The Devils have guys who prior to this year were great in the shootout. Elias and Clowe. Neither have done squat this year in the shootout. We also have guys like Brunner, Loktionov, Tedenby who are all skilled.

The Devils have guys who prior to this year were great in the shootout. Elias and Clowe. Neither have done squat this year in the shootout. We also have guys like Brunner, Loktionov, Tedenby who are all skilled.

Elias always shot behind Parise and Kovalchuk. I think there's a bit of a confidence factor and being in a better position behind them, too. When your first guy up scores or you have a second that can as well, i can't see how that wouldn't help. Plus, Elias had one move, the swoop and shoot, which i hated but he'd manage to trickle a few past. He might be the one guy where it's mental more then lack of skill for this.

Clowe hasn't been the same player since his head injuries, he's just now coming around and working it out. He deserves to be in there, though.

They might be skilled, but are they skilled at the SO? If they have a mock SO at practice, obviously none of them drew attention enough to include them in it. While i think Pete has no clue and is too stubborn, even he couldn't miss that.

Elias always shot behind Parise and Kovalchuk. I think there's a bit of a confidence factor and being in a better position behind them, too. When your first guy up scores or you have a second that can as well, i can't see how that wouldn't help. Plus, Elias had one move, the swoop and shoot, which i hated but he'd manage to trickle a few past. He might be the one guy where it's mental more then lack of skill for this.

Clowe hasn't been the same player since his head injuries, he's just now coming around and working it out. He deserves to be in there, though.

They might be skilled, but are they skilled at the SO? If they have a mock SO at practice, obviously none of them drew attention enough to include them in it. While i think Pete has no clue and is too stubborn, even he couldn't miss that.

Elias has 22 shootout goals in his career. He's skilled at the shootout, or at least he was.

The Devils have used 9 different players in the shootout (including Zidlicky who didn't get a chance to go). It's not the coaching, not matter how much people want it to be

The Sabres are 6-3 in the shootout. And they're on pace for the worst offensive season in NHL history. There's zero correlation between overall scoring ability and shootout success.

I guess you don't comprehend. FINISHING. When you have breakawyas, goalies moving east/west, shots from 6 feet out and you can't score. This team doesn't have any finishers. Elias use to be way better in tight but it appears his confidence is shaken.

If anyone thinks taking 2 or 3 attempts in practice a couple days per week is gonna help guys that have been skating nearly everyday for years and decades for some is just silly.

I guess you don't comprehend. FINISHING. When you have breakawyas, goalies moving east/west, shots from 6 feet out and you can't score. This team doesn't have any finishers. Elias use to be way better in tight but it appears his confidence is shaken.

If anyone thinks taking 2 or 3 attempts in practice a couple days per week is gonna help guys that have been skating nearly everyday for years and decades for some is just silly.

Ryder is a finisher without question. He is not good at the shootout. There isn't always a ton of correlation.

The only thing that can help the Devils is a psychiatrist. Clutch exists, as does choking. When the Devils are taking a shootout attempt, these numbers are in their mind, they grip their sticks too tight, they try to do too much.

Please explain how this is humanly possible

Edited by '7', 28 March 2014 - 09:51 AM.

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^7^ is just defending his sport sheeps.. as Alcibiades the exiled Athenian rationalizes in his speech to the enemy Spartans, he wants to take revenge on Athens because he loves it and can't stand to see the state it's in now - Triumph

Ryder has a shot, but he doesn't have the "hands".. You need someone with balls and finesse who is not afraid to miss. Don't know if we have anyone like that.. I thought maybe Brunner fit the bill but I guess not. At this point I'm sure the mental part has become very real as well.